1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector connection structure to a flexible printed circuit board provided in an automobile meter case.
2. Prior Art
Referring to FIG. 10, there is illustrated a conventional automobile meter case 60, which has a resin case 61 formed with an insertion recess 62 for receiving a connector 64 to electrically connect to a conductor 63a of a flexible printed circuit board (called FPC hereinafter) 63. The connector 64 accommodates a plurality of terminals 66 each having a resilient contact piece 66a protruding from the connector housing 65. When the connector 64 has been inserted into the recess, each resilient contact piece 66a contacts one of the conductors 63a of FPC 63 to electrically connect thereto. At the same time, a lock arm 67 formed on the connector 64 is guided by a guide channel 68 defined in the case 61 so that a locking protrusion 67a formed on the lock arm 67 engages with a lock hole (not shown) defined in the guide channel 68. The conductor 63a is exposed in the upper surface of FPC 63 laid in the recess 62.
However, after a meter case 60 has been mounted in an automobile body (not shown), the case 61 deteriorates with time to arise a concave 69 in the case 61 in relation to a contact point of the resilient contact piece 66a and the conductor 63a (see FIG. 11). Thus, the conductor 63a of FPC 63 deflects into the concave 69, thereby decreasing a contact force of the resilient contact piece 66a against the conductor 63a, resulted in an unreliable electrical contact pressure thereof. In addition, since the connector 64 has a larger number of terminals, a lager force is required for inserting the connector 64 into the recess 62. Moreover, since the lock hole associated with the locking protrusion 67a is inside the case 61, it is not definitely recognized that the locking protrusion 67a has engaged with the lock hole, because a lock notifying sound (click) thereof is not clear.